The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-07-14
w hich Z?

The utterances of a number of Southern
orators, amongst them Jefferson Davis,
and newspaper writers, on the occasion of
the 4th of July, were unfortunate, to say
the least. They contend that the South
was right i'll the recent war, and that the
principle asserted then is the proper inter
probation Of our political system. That
principle was the right of State to secede
from the Union, whenever in her judg-
ment the conditions of the Union had
been violated, in legislation, or admin
istration. That was the issue that was
in controversy and decided by the result of
the war. 1t is true that the Southern peo-
pie had been educated to believe in the
extreme view of State rights, which found
its logical application in secession. hut it
was submitted to the arbitrament of the
sword, and was determined against them.
If, therefore. the war settled anything-if
the South accepted anything, as a result of
that conflict, if the constitution of the
United States, as amended, and the consti-
tutions of the several States which had Sc
coded. as now existing, mean anything, they
mean that the doctrine of secession was
surrendered and is now dead. 1t was but
theory at best, and when it was at
tempted to make it a practical reality it
failed. Is there sensible man in the
South who regrets that failure at this
time? He may have been honest in his
belief as to the right Of secession at the
time, and doubtless was. as he was brave
and lf-sacrificing in maintaining it. But
does he now think it was right? Does he
believe that it would be right to have the
possibility to confront him of each State
setting up an independent government for
itSelf-to maintain armies, negotiate treat
les, and exercise all the functions and du-
ties of a government, in relation to for
eign as well as domestic powers? Or does
he believe that it was right for the State
to surrender so much of Its sovereignty
to central power, as to make that power
supreme in authority, operating equally
upon all the autonomies to the compact
and legislating through representatives
ele ;ted by the different constituencies, for
the general good, with a final judicial
power to settle any differences that might
occur? Would it be better for Virginia,
for instance, to assume unlimited sover-
eighty, to raise and support an army, ne
gotiate treaties with neighboring States.
similarly empowered, enact laws to regu-
late commerce, and to do all the things
for itself that the Federal Government, as
now constituted, does for the Union as it
now exists? Would it be right to adopt a
| principle in government which would re-
suit in petty, warning Republics, or pow
erS, and necessitate each one Of these pow
ers to observe all the vigilance, diplomacy,
and incur all the expense which neces-
sarily attach to sovereign powers? To
state the question is to answer it in the
negative. No sensible man wants seceS-
sion; no sensible man wants chattel slave
ry; no sensible man wants to change our
form of government, or the Constitu =
ton of the Nation or of the State,
so as to make secession possible and
the disruption of the Union certain. If
this be the correct view of the situation,
where is the necessity or the policy Of pro-
claiming that the South was right in con-
tending for the principle she did, and that
the Union, as it exists, is wrong, for that
is the logical alternative Would it not be
better for the people to discourage this
4th of July rodamontade about a question
that we hope is irreversibly settled, and
cultivate devotion to the Union as APP
proXimating the perfection of human wis
dom in government and the dispensing
of such equally balanced justice to all the
factors in its framing, that it smacks of
treason or idiocy tOquestion it.
If these deductions be not correct, and
it is not the belief and purpose of the peo-
pie of the seeding States t0 accept them,
then we are drifting upon an uncertain
sea, without rudder or compass and may at
any moment run upon breakers which
would bring wreck and ruin. If it was
right to secede, then it would be natural
/ for the Southern States to cherish the
| hope that the day would come when they
would haye the power to enforce the doc
trine. If it was not right to secede. then
| those who are seeking to make it appear
so, land inflame the passions of the people,
| aresthe enemies of the South, and of con-
stitutiOnal government everywhere.